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Excessive kicking - Help!

I'm 36 weeks now and unlike what the DR told me, my baby is kicking MORE and HARDER than ever. She starts around the same time every night, about 9 pm, and will press & kick with all her might for hours on end. Usually it stops around 1 or 2 am.
I desperatly need some tips & tricks to make it stop or at least be a bit more bearable. She does it enough that I'm in tears after the first 30 minutes. And it's literally NONSTOP for that amount of time. I have tried some of my dr's suggestions, and none have helped at all (warm bath, talking to her, walking around, etc).

I rubbed my belly when my kids did that...gently but with a little more pressure than normal. The places where my kids would kick the most I'd apply some pressure and kind of massage. It would calm the baby down and help ease the aches and pains. I've been through 3 pregnancies...all 3 of which were like that. Another thing that helped was positioning...try changing positions til you get to a point where the kicking isn't hurting so much and it might make it easier to sleep. I know my oldest would kick in the same spot over and over, right under my ribs and if i'd lay on that side...i guess it'd squash the area a little and she would have to kick or move somewhere else and i'd get a break :d

Stay away from anything sugary, caffeinated or ice-cold too...all three can cause your baby to bounce around like crazy.

Just hugs of empathy. My girl bruised my rib from kicking it hard in the same spot.

On the plus side, when your last month of pregnancy is really rough, it changes your perspective, and things like labor and caring for a new born seem relatively easier.

Answer by
Anonymous
at 11:42 PM on Apr. 13, 2010

I'm 35 weeks prego with my second and I'm on the other end...sometimes not enough movement. With my first son, once he started moving he NEVER stopped. I was bruised internally, near my ribs, for weeks after he was born. This time around the baby is much less active. I remember the discomfort, but I can tell you I MUCH prefer that because then you know all is well in the womb. Having to think about movements and count kicks, is scary.
I try to think of it this way, soon enough I will have to share him with the world and those (sometimes painful) movements that are now only shared between the two of us,mean all is great and he's doing well. I try to simply enjoy the last few weeks of pregnancy, it will be over all too soon!
Best wishes to you!